Spotting This Sign on Your Maple Tree? It Might be Infected with a Fungus!

Is your tree infected?!

Over the next few weeks, we'll be paying close attention to the trees and leaves across the Hudson Valley. Before you know it they'll be changing to bright orange, reds, yellow, and browns, but some of them might be infected.

The DEC is taking its social media platform and informing tree lovers and owners about a fungus that their maple trees may be infected with.

New York Maple Tree Fungus: Do Your Tree Have It?

Fungus is such an ugly word and clearly makes your maple tree leaves look unfriendly. However, this tree fungus isn't dangerous. The Department of Environmental Conservation explains on social media:

it’s nothing to worry about. Trees with tar spot rarely lose all or even most of their leaves, and previously healthy trees can bounce back after a year or defoliation.

Here's what it looks like right from the DEC Instagram account:

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A post shared by New York State Environmental Conservation (@nysdec)

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They add that by next spring your maple tree with tar spots will be "right as rain" but you should be discarding the fallen tar spot leaves. The DEC explains further writing:

So, the infected maples should be right as rain next spring! If your maples have tar spot the best thing to do is rake up and discard leaves when they fall, as the leaves harbor fungal spores.

Have you seen Tar Spots on your trees? Are you already raking this fall season?